Shutdown Bars Priests from Celebrating Mass at Military Bases-Reported to be True!

Shutdown Bars Priests from Celebrating Mass at Military Bases-Reported to be True!

 
Summary of eRumor:
 

This is a forwarded email that alleged that Father Ray Leonard was not allowed to enter the U.S. Naval Base at Kings Bay, Georgia to celebrate Mass.  The email said that owing to the government shutdown the chapel doors at the base were locked and a sign was posted on saying that there would be no services until further notice.

Various emails are circulating the Internet telling similar accounts.
 
The Truth:
This is reported to be true.  The source for this eRumor is a news article that was written by the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) on October 8, 2013.  Click here for article.

The article noted the reaction of Congressman Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) who said, “Time and time again this Administration demonstrates it is waging a war against the very religious freedoms upon which America was founded. This is exactly why we worked to pass legislation (House Concurrent Resolution 58) this past weekend – to protect the religious liberties of all those who bravely serve in our Armed Forces.”

Across the nation, as many as fifty Catholic chaplains have been furloughed and “one chaplain was told that if he engaged in any ministry activity, he would be subjected to disciplinary action.”  This according to an October 5, 2013 article by Fox News.
A friend of TruthorFiction.Com who is in the military told us that not all chapels on U.S. military bases were closed.
Normal services at military chapels may return sooner than the expected.
According to an October 5, 2013 article in the Military Times, the House of Representatives voted to restore full chaplain services on military bases.   The article said, “The resolution expresses congressional intent to allow religious services on any property owned or maintained by the Defense Department during a lapse in government funding ‘in the same manner and to the same extent as religious services are otherwise available.’”
On Tuesday, October 1, 2013 after the House of Representatives and the Senate failed pass a Continuing Resolution for the national budget a shut down of non-essential operations in the U.S. Government began.  Many government offices closed and federal employees, contract workers, interns and volunteers have been ordered not to report for work.
The government shutdown remains in effect at the time of this report.
Posted 10/10/13

Priest: Obama Admin. Denied Mass to Catholics

How about trying this one on for size? Here is the press release headline from Congressman Tim Huelskamp’s office this afternoon:

Obama Administration Denies Mass to Catholics

Apparently, a priest was denied access to a military chapel this weekend. Father Ray Leonard serves at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia but because of the government shutdown, he wasn’t allowed to go to celebrate Mass this past weekend.

He is contracted by the Defense Department to meet the spiritual needs of Catholics, but not now. The chapel doors were locked and the sign said, “Shutdown: No Catholic service till further notice.”

Father Leonard said the following:

“This is our church, Catholics have an expectation and obligation to attend Mass and we were told, ‘No you can’t go to church this week…“ My parishioners were upset. They were angry and dismayed. They couldn’t believe that in America they’d be denied access to Mass by the government.”